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07 Dec 2018
The Commission on the Future of Surgery has predicted that surgery is about to be transformed for millions of patients by a new wave of technologies – driven by changes in digital technology and our understanding of human biology – which in some cases are only months away. Unlike many previous innovations, the forthcoming technologies are expected to affect every type of surgery, including the way it is provided and the way we train surgeons.
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29 Nov 2018
Northern Ireland Department of Health waiting time statistics published today (Thursday 29 November 2018) show there are now 19,715 patients waiting more than a year for inpatient treatment – a rise of almost 50% compared to September 2017. By contrast, in England 3,156 patients were waiting more than a year. A further 94,222 are now waiting more than a year for an outpatient appointment in Northern Ireland.
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26 Nov 2018
BBC One's Panorama will air a programme on medical device regulation tonight, which is part of a larger international investigation, called the Implant Files, carried out by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). UK partners for the investigation have included the BBC, The BMJ and The Guardian. Professor Derek Alderson, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, will appear on the Panorama programme tonight, calling for drastic regulatory changes for medical devices.
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09 Nov 2018
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has responded to reports that the Newcastle Coroner intends to write to the RCS to ask whether there should be national guidelines on the introduction of new procedures or technologies, following the death of a 69-year-old man who suffered multiple organ failure after robot-assisted heart valve surgery.
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05 Nov 2018
NHS Partners Network, together with the Royal College of Surgeons, the Patients Association and the British Orthopaedic Association have written to the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, calling on the Government to prioritise cutting waiting times for non-urgent treatment as part of the forthcoming NHS 10-year plan.
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02 Nov 2018
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has urged NHS England to remove surgical treatments for carpel tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contracture, trigger finger and wrist ganglion from a list of clinically ineffective interventions. NHS England is proposing to stop or reduce routine commissioning of 17 interventions where it says less invasive, safer treatments are available and just as effective.
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27 Oct 2018
The RCS and BAPS have issued a joint response to data published by the Labour party showing an increase in the number of children's operations in England being cancelled.
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26 Oct 2018
The Royal College of Surgeons has responded to new reports that University Hospitals Plymouth Trust has entered into an 18-month partnership with Care UK to provide all elective orthopaedic work for the Trust in one of its facilities.
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23 Oct 2018
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has announced it is creating new regional centres for day surgery. From December, the new prototype elective care centres will undertake routine day surgery for cataracts and treatment of varicose veins. Mr Mark Taylor, Royal College of Surgeons Director for Northern Ireland, has welcomed the announcement.
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12 Oct 2018
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, has announced the introduction of statutory regulation for Physician Associates and Physicians’ Assistants (Anaesthesia). Alongside this, a new legislative framework will enable regulation for other Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) roles as this case is made. The Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh have issued a joint statement in response.
